The Byzantine Majority Text (also called the Byzantine Textform or Majority Text) is a critical edition of the New Testament based on the majority of surviving Greek manuscripts, which largely represent the Byzantine text-type.

Historical Information

The Byzantine text-type became dominant in the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire from the 5th century onwards. Modern critical editions of the Majority Text include The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text (Hodges & Farstad, 1982) and The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform (Robinson & Pierpont, 2005). These editions aim to represent the text found in the majority of surviving Greek manuscripts.

Usage

Used as the primary source for the New Testament in the World English Bible and World English Bible Catholic Edition. Also used by some other modern translations that prefer the Majority Text tradition over the critical text.

Trustworthiness

Opinions on reliability vary significantly among scholars. Proponents argue it represents the text most widely used throughout church history and that its widespread copying suggests early acceptance. Critics note that the earliest Byzantine manuscripts date only from the 5th century, while older Alexandrian manuscripts often present different readings. The Byzantine text agrees with modern critical texts in over 90% of variant passages. It is generally considered more reliable than the Textus Receptus (which contains unique readings not found in the Byzantine tradition) but less reliable than the earliest manuscripts by mainstream textual criticism.